Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-02-25

witnesses before Probate Courts.
Bill an act to regulate the compensation OF
the Trustees of the Reform School.
Bill an act Incorporating the Norway Elec-
trio Light Go. as amended
Bill an act TO incorporate the Enchanted
Stream Dam and Improvement Co.
FINALLY PASSED.
Resolve in favor of Robert j Talbot
Resolve in favor of publishing all Maine
wills recorded prior to the time of the separa'
ton of the counties.
Resolve in favor of Maine Insane Hospital
Resolve appropriating money for the pur'
chase of land and improvement of the same,
and the erection of monuments, on the bat.
tlefield of Gettysburg.
Papers from the Senate.
Reports of the Judiciary Committee, ought
to pass, and ought not to pass, respectively,
on House document 81, an act to increase
the salaries of the justices of the Supreme
Judicial Court, came down from the Senate
the Senate non-concurring in the action OF
the House substituting the minority report
ought not to pass. for the majority report
and accepting the majority report and pass
ing the bill to be engrossed.
Mr.. Clark of Bangor moved to receGe. He
stated that last week, " hen this matter wa,
up, it was reported to him that large mum
Der of bills had gone through the House ans
Senate appropriatin2 a very large amount
from the Treasury. Since then he hat
looked the matter up and had ascertained the
facts, which were that we had appropriated
some $4,000 more than usual-S5000 fol
the Maine Eye and Ear Infiruary and SIS.
600 for Gettysburg memorials. As he had
always made it n rule. in business. never tC
buy bill of goods unless he knew where the
money was coming from to pay for it, so he
voted against this bill last week. He now
had ascertained how the Treasury stood, ant
it had not been ia such good shape for many
year, with an outlook of a reduction in the
taxes OF 20 per cent.-a reduction of abou.
$4,000 on Bangor, $4,000 on Augusta ant
$4,000 on Portland In view of these fact,
he did not see why the State should not pay
her judges enough to permit them to mee
their expenses and have fair salary left
and he did not think that man in the State
would reflect upon gentlemen for voting an
increase to $500, which still left them q
salary OF but $4,000, it costing more than
$500 for their expenses.
Mr. Pattangall of Pembroke said that
when the vote was taken the other day, while
he voted with til minority, he was very fear
ful that he had voted wrong and did not at
that time very much regret the result. Since
then he had given the matter a good deal OF
thought and q good deal of attention. HI
had received letters from prominent gentle.
men in his county upholding his course iu
voting that way since then. The Judiciary
was distinct department of the government:
and on solemn occasions the Governor and
Council, the Senate and House of Represen
tatives, laid questions before them to deter
mine; any law passed by the legislature Of
doubtful constitutionalitv was laid before
them, and they decided whether i. was a law
or null and void. Their whole time was
taken up. He did not think this increase was
a great one-only $4,000 on all the taxpayers
OF the State. He wished gentlemen to notice
the great increase in valuation of this State
Sll 100000 from 1870 to lSS0-and yet the
valuation of 1870 was on an iufl At ion basi.
too. And in the face of this, was it to go out
to the world that the State Of Maine was toe
poor to increase the salaries of her judges
the small sum of $500?
Mr.. Walton did not. propose to discuss the
provisions of this bill. Every member un.
derstood well what was before him and has
been fully enlightened by the eIoquen,
speeches made by the gentlemen in favor OF
this increase. He did want to saw one thing
He wanted to ask his friend from Bangor
(Mr. Clark, when he says that only 500, OOC
more than usual has been appropriated thus
far, how much he thought would be left to
appropriate i: even two-thirds of the Increases
of salaries and appropriations that have been
introduced in this House 20 through? He
wished gentlemen to reckon on what they
were going to do as well as on what thew had
done. He referred to the fact that the Jude.
larry Committee had reported legislation in
expedient on the order relating to increasing
the salaries of members of the legislature
who received the small sum of $3.50 for
from two to three months attendance here
practically saying that gentlemen were get.
ting all they earned-and then came into this
House and said "Adopt this bill raising the
salaries of these judges"
Mr.. Clark of Bangor wished the gentleman
from Skowhegan to understand that be would
be just as cautious in watching bills that
were before this House as he had been in the
past; but at the ssme time he thought we
could afford to raise the salaries of these
eminent gentlemen.
Mr.. O'Brien of Thomaston had talked
with gentlemen, prominent gentlemen, and
they had approved the action of the House
in refusing to raise these salaries. He
thought the people approved of it, and he
hoped the House would not recede
Mr.. Randall of Augusta showed that. the
population Of the State being some 6,0OO, 900,
and taking four a. the average number to a
family, the amount Of increased burden
placed upon the taxpayers BY the proposed
bill would be the large sum of three cents
each.
Mr.. Engel of Bangor said he had not heard
any gentleman say that he was not willing to
pay our judges . reasonable compensation
so that the question was what was a reasona-
BILE compensation. If asked what the rea.
sonable compensation of day laborer in the
State would be, we would say, looking
around at the prices paid by the different
cities of the State, S1.50. If asked what the
reasonable compensation of carpenter
would be, we would say-well, Brother
Smith or Deacon Jones, or A, B and C, have
built house or barn and paid their car.
penters 50, 80 day; that would be reason.
able compensation. So with our supreme
judges. II asked what a reasonable compen-
sation would be we should look around and
see what other States pay. We would find
that seven-eighths of the States pay even
more than the proposed bill would give ours.